Footprints In My Heart
by WOWcow
Summary: "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." Eleanor Roosevelt. Challenge for BTR Plot Adoption Forum. Day 1: Kogan. Kendall and Logan help each other through the tough times with their fathers. Day 4: Cargan. Logan is trying to study, but Carlos is making it difficult.
1. Kogan

**A/N: Hey guys. So just in case you haven't heard yet, there's a writer's challenge going on over at the BTR Plot Adoption Forum (visit forum/BTR-Plot-Adoption-Forum/153090/ to check it out) to help bring back some life into this fandom. So every day this week, there is a challenge to write a one shot for each of the pairings of the boys (not necessarily slash) going in the order of: Kogan, Kames, Jarlos, Cargan, Jagan, and Kenlos. Then you can go vote for your favourite over at the forum or write one yourself (even better!)**

**So this is my go at writing a Kogan interaction. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Father's Day**

_Eight years ago_

Logan looked so small, well he was already slightly built, but the grey suit he was wearing seemed to swallow him up. He stood in the kitchen, holding his mother's hand, both of them trying to conceal their tears while a stream of people came to offer their condolences. Kendall didn't remember much of the funeral. All he knew was that Logan looked lost and helpless. He couldn't stand to see Logan - the boy who he knew was smart beyond belief, usually willing to try out stunts against his better judgment, always ready with a shy smile – feeling so sad. Logan had lost his dad, and since Kendall knew how important his own dad was in his life, he could only imagine how tough it must be for Logan. Luckily for Kendall, his own dad had given him a pocket watch (a family heirloom) that promised that he would always be around for his son. But Logan didn't have that.

Feeling the weight of the object in his pocket, Kendall approached Logan. Logan met his eyes, and the pain in them broke Kendall's heart. Spurred on Kendall tugged Logan away from his mother and towards the food table. Upon reaching it, instead of grabbing one of the treats on it, Kendall gestured to the tablecloth.

Logan's sadness was briefly broken as he looked at Kendall confused. He hadn't known Kendall all that long and he was supposed to stay close to his mother. But he did know that Kendall usually had good ideas and he did seem to care about what happened to his friends. Glancing back at his mother who was busy being hugged by his aunt, Logan nodded before turning back to Kendall. Or at least where Kendall was.

"Psst! Logan, under here!" Kendall's voice came from below him. Looking down, Logan saw Kendall peeking out from underneath the tablecloth. Logan hesitated, and as a result, found himself dragged down under the table. Logan scowled at Kendall while he dusted himself off.

"Why did you do that?" Logan asked.

"Because you were taking too long." Kendall answered. His eyes danced with mischief and a smirk was planted on his face.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Okay, so why are we under the table?"

"Oh. That's because I wanted to talk to you."

"You couldn't have talked to me out there like a normal person?"

Kendall shook his head. "I wanted to talk in secret."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Kendall said. Suddenly serious, he continued. "I'm sorry about your dad."

Logan nodded tight-lipped and wrapped his arms around his knees. "Thanks."

"You must really miss him."

Another nod. With the muted light from outside the tablecloth crossing Logan's face, Kendall was just barely able to make out the tear that fell from Logan's eye.

"It's okay to be sad and to cry. You know that right?"

Logan met Kendall's gaze and let out a shuddery breath. "I know. But I don't want to cry so much."

Kendall moved closer to Logan and rested a hand on his shoulder. "My mom says that when we feel sad, we can change that by thinking about nice things. What if we try to remember all the good times you had with your dad?"

Giving a watery smile to Kendall, Logan nodded. "Okay. "

Seeing that Logan needed a push to remember some things, Kendall decided to start him off. "Okay, my dad used to take me to hockey games and we'd get hot dogs and popcorn, too. Did your dad ever take you to any sports games?"

Logan's brow furrowed as he tried to remember. "We always used to play catch in the backyard, but he didn't really like sports."

"Well, my dad used to read me bed time stories and he would have different voices for all of the people in them. Did your dad read you any stories?"

"Yeah, my favourite is The Jungle Book." Logan's eyes brightened with the memory.

"Cool. I haven't read that yet, but I watched the movie last year."

"You did? My dad and I watched it, and then we watched Aladdin."

Kendall grinned. "That was so cool! The genie was funny, right?"

"Yeah, but I loved the magic carpet the most." A smile lit up Logan's face. "Afterwards my dad flew me around the room on his shoulders, at least until mom made me wash up for dinner. Then I'd have to do homework, but it was okay since my dad would help me with homework. My dad was really smart and he was a doctor…and someday I'm going to be one too."

Logan's face held no trace of sadness, only pride and determination. Kendall relaxed, knowing he had helped his friend at least a little bit. "I think that's a great way to remember him, and I think you'll make a great doctor someday."

"Thanks, Kendall. You're really good at this stuff, you know?"

"I'm just trying to make you feel better, nothing special," Kendall shrugged. "Now, tell me more about this doctor thing."

* * *

_Present day_

"Kendall! Come on, we have to get to the studio!" Logan yelled from the living room. He turned towards James, who was lounging on the couch. "Seriously, what's taking him so long?"

James nodded distractedly. "Who knows?"

Logan frowned at James, whose attention remained largely on the video game he was playing. He was about to call James out on it, when Carlos came barrelling through the door. "Carlos, we have to leave for the studio in ten minutes. Where have you been?"

Carlos opened his mouth to explain before Logan continued to speak. "Never mind, just go and get ready. And tell Kendall to get ready too, while you're at it."

Carlos frowned. "He's still not ready. But he's normally the first one."

"I know, right? So go in and drag him out."

"Me? Why? You're the one who's so worked up about being late. And he's your roommate."

"He does make some good points," James chimed in from the couch. "And I'd hurry because we're going to be late."

Logan threw his hands up in the air. "Fine. But you guys better stop playing that game and get ready." Muttering under his breath, Logan stalked away to the room he shared with Kendall.

"Kendall, you know what happens when Gustavo gets mad and after last time… Oh."

Logan abruptly stopped talking at the sight in front of him. Kendall was slumped in his bed, fingers lovingly running over and over a trinket. Looking closer, Logan recognised that the small object was actually a pocket watch. Realisation washed over Logan like a tidal wave. Most wouldn't know why that pocket watch was so important to Kendall. It was scuffed up, with a broken chain, and it sure didn't keep time all that well. But Logan wasn't most people. Having known Kendall for most of their lives, he knew exactly what that pocket watch meant. He knew why it was treasured, and why Kendall hung onto it, even after the promise attached to it had been broken for seven years.

Logan shuffled the rest of the way into the room and shut the door softly behind him. He moved over to his bed, contemplating the best way to approach this situation.

"That time of year already?"

Kendall just nodded silently.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Sighing deeply, Kendall turned his head to face Logan.

"It's just…Every single year, it's the same. I keep expecting that he'll maybe turn up or call, and say "Hey son! Sorry I've been such a crappy father. Let's go get ice-cream!" But, even that's too much."

"Would that seriously be enough for you?"

"Well, maybe. It would show that he cares, and every time that he doesn't show up, I feel so stupid for hoping for it."

"You're not stupid for wanting a relationship with your father, Kendall."

"Yeah, but I should be able to let go of it after seven years. I think I get the point, Dad." Kendall fell back on the bed, and buried his face in his covers. Logan bit his lip as he thought over what to say. He wasn't used to giving pep talks. That usually fell to Kendall. But clearly he was the one that needed one now.

"Kendall…" Logan waited until Kendall met his eyes. "You're a great person, no matter what your dad says or does."

"But what does it say about me when my own father can't even be bothered to call me?"

"It says that he's a waste of space."

Kendall's eyes widened at Logan's frank phrasing. He had jumped up and begun to pace the room. Logan usually only got this impassioned when talking about some science thing. "What?"

"Seriously Kendall, you're one of the strongest, most loyal, caring people that I know. You have a drive and talent that still surprises me. If your dad can't see that, well then, he doesn't deserve your time."

"Sure, but it doesn't mean that I don't want it. He's supposed to love me."

Logan spun around and joined Kendall on his bed. "Is that what this is about? You're loved by so many people other than him."

"I know." Kendall smushed his face into the pillow.

Logan shook his head. "I don't think you do. Do you know how important you are to your family? How much they care about you?"

"Yeah, but they're supposed to love me."

"Fine, how about how much you mean to me, Carlos, and James? We don't have to care about you but we do. Without you, there would be a gaping hole in our lives. You've managed to keep us all together and you're the glue that holds us together," Logan finished with a soft smile.

Kendall sat up and turned his head to meet Logan's gaze. "Really?"

"Yeah! And you put together a pretty good team, don't you think?"

With a big grin, Kendall answered. "No, I think we make a pretty good family."

"Guys, you still haven't stopped with that stupid game. And we were supposed to be at the studio fifteen minutes ago!" Logan fumed.

"Just one more level!" Carlos said.

Kendall sighed and walked over to the TV. He pulled out the cords connecting the game console to the TV, ignoring the cries of despair that came from the couch.

"Kendall! Do you know how hard it was to get that?" James protested.

Kendall shrugged. "No idea, but Logan's right. We need to go, now."

James and Carlos stared at the pair in front of them, standing with their arms crossed, before sighing loudly and getting off the couch.

"Hey Logan," Kendall said.

"Yeah?"

"Your dad would be really proud of you."

"Thanks."

"Guys, enough of the sappy talk!" James said. "We have to get going."

"Oh man, Gustavo's gonna kill us!" Carlos groaned.

As the four hurried to the studio, Kendall and Logan shared a look. Yup, they definitely had the best family.

* * *

**A/N: So how was it? Take the time to review and let me know what you thought. **

**Stay tuned for more this week :)**


	2. Cargan

**A/N: Here's Day 4. Sorry it's so short but I hope you like it (it's full of pointless fluff).**

* * *

**Dinosaurs**

At the table in apartment 2J, Logan sat with books and papers spread out in front of him. He had already finished his assigned homework, and was now poring over a biology textbook. In the midst of reading about cardiac output and the valves of the heart, Logan jumped when a crash came from the kitchen.

"Oops!" Carlos. Of course.

"Carlos, I'm trying to study over here," Logan said as he gestured to all of his books on the table.

"Well, I'm hungry so I'm making something," Carlos retorted, holding up a packet of something frozen. Rather than get involved, Logan decided to ignore Carlos as he, no doubt, would be making a mess in the kitchen. However, he didn't get very far in his reading as Carlos was muttering to himself while clanging around in the cupboards.

"Can you keep it down over there?" Logan said without looking up from his work.

"I'm trying to find the oven tray."

"It's in the cupboard by the sink. But are you sure you're allowed to use the oven after last week?"

"Shut up!" Carlos said, voice full of indignant anger. "It wasn't even that big a fire."

Logan scoffed and shook his head. Any fire was too big a fire, especially for Mama Knight. But then again, what were the chances that Carlos would set his food on fire twice in two weeks? Well, actually…

Sighing deeply, Logan stood up and cleared away his textbooks. He joined Carlos, who had finally found the tray, in the kitchen. "Need some help?"

A confused expression crossed Carlos' face. "I thought you were trying to study."

"Yeah, but then I realised that I wouldn't be able to do that if you set the apartment on fire," Logan said as he plucked the tray out of Carlos' hands.

Hurt flashed across Carlos' face. He looked down and scuffed his feet lightly. "I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have happened again."

Suddenly feeling bad, Logan quickly amended his statement. "Besides, this way I get something to eat too. What are we having?"

Carlos immediately brightened and grabbed the packet from the counter. "Dinosaur chicken nuggets!"

"Really? I thought it would be corndogs."

"Nah, corndogs are for kids."

And dinosaur chicken nuggets weren't? Logan raised an eyebrow, challenging Carlos' statement.

"Fine," Carlos conceded. "We ran out of those yesterday."

"Okay," Logan said, shaking his head with a laugh. "And maybe we could have some oven fries too?"

"Sure. I'll go get them." Carlos bounced back to the freezer, while Logan read through the cooking instructions on the back of the packet.

* * *

Ten minutes later, two plates piled high with dinosaur chicken nuggets and oven fries clanged onto opposite sides of the kitchen table. For a while, there was no sound as both boys devoured their food. Logan realised he really was hungry, and he and Carlos actually made a pretty good cooking team. But as was the tradition with the dinosaur nuggets, Carlos was more eager to play with his food, than eat it.

"Want to have a dino battle?"

"Isn't that for kids?" Logan countered.

"No!" Carlos said with a pout. Then his eyes sparked with challenge. "Unless you're scared that my T-Rex is going to beat you!"

"I'm not. I think it's - " His lecture was interrupted by clucking noises. "Can you stop that?"

"Cluck."

"Carlos."

"Cluck, cluck."

"I'm not scared of – "

"Cluck, cluck, cluck!" Carlos squawked loudly.

"Seriously? You're not a chicken!"

"But you are!" Carlos sing-songed.

"I am not!" Logan argued, slamming his palms down on the table. Carlos only shrugged, and bit off a piece of his chicken nugget.

"Okay, you're not," Carlos agreed.

"Thank you!"

"But the T-Rex that's going to beat your dinosaur is!" Carlos lunged at Logan's plate with his now one-legged dinosaur.

"Oh, it is _so _on!"

* * *

"I won! I won!" Carlos shouted as he danced around the living room.

"Whatever." Logan crossed his arms and glared at Carlos.

"Oh, stop pouting Logan."

"I'm not pouting. I just think that that it's unrealistic that a one-legged T-Rex could beat a stegosaurus."

"It's totally realistic. Don't be upset that you don't know your ancient dinosaur history."

Logan stared at Carlos, a little annoyed that Carlos did think that his T-Rex would actually win in a fight, and also offended that Carlos was claiming Logan didn't know much about dinosaurs. Logan had spent hours as a child learning everything that there was to know about dinosaurs – making models, spouting off facts to anyone who would listen, even unsuccessfully begging his parents to go to palaeontology lectures. All the facts Carlos knew were five minutes from a documentary Logan had made them watch when they were nine.

"This is coming from someone who thinks that dinosaurs are all the different colors of the rainbow," Logan pointed out.

"But they are! I know it!"

"How?

"I saw it on TV," Carlos answered, racking his brain for where he remembered this. "What about that show with the dinosaur that would teach us all about being nice to people? They had a purple one, a green one, even a yellow one!"

"Carlos, that was a children's show."

"Yeah, but it was educational!"

Logan shook his head, completely ready to give up arguing with Carlos. But Carlos had other ideas as he whipped out his phone and typed something in.

"See Logan, it says dinosaurs could have been all these different, bright colors to attract others. Read it."

Logan quickly scanned the webpage. Carlos was right. "Okay, maybe. But it also says no-one really knows."

"Not true. That kid's show knew."

"That show's not realistic Carlos. It also said dinosaurs could talk."

"Maybe they could have." Carlos was not willing to give up so easily. Logan groaned as he realised that the quickest way out of this was to agree with Carlos.

"I guess it's possible. But no-one really knows, so let's stop arguing."

"Oh. Right."

Merciful silence at last. Now maybe Logan could get back to his studying. Where was he? Something about heart palpitations…

"Hey Logan?"

"Yeah?"

What about dragons?"

* * *

**A/N: So there it is. Just a fluffy, pretty pointless piece, but I liked it. If you did too, let me know. Also don't forget to go to BTR Plot Adoption Forum at ** forum/BTR-Plot-Adoption-Forum/153090/ **to check out the other entries and vote for your favorite. :)**


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